Sarkozy accused by opponents of ‘sounding like a British Conservative’

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President Sarkozy was cheered by his supporters on SundayPhilippe Wojazer/Reuters

Charles BremnerParis

Published at 12:01AM, March 13 2012

Nicolas Sarkozy was on the receiving end of the ultimate French insult
yesterday after he switched tactics in the presidential election campaign
and opened fire on the European Union. His Socialist opponent accused him of
sounding like a British Conservative.

The gleeful riposte from the camp of François Hollande, the easy favourite to
unseat Mr Sarkozy in May, reinforced a feeling in the political world that
Mr Sarkozy may have bungled by launching an attack on Europe’s borderless
regime and trade policy as the centre-piece of his political fight-back.